IRS Scam with a Twist. The IRS scam is alive and well. The IRS has
issued a warning to taxpayers about a new twist to this long, lasting scam. It
has received reports from around the country that a scammer, claiming to be
from the IRS, tells the victim that the IRS had sent two certified letters in
the mail and that they have been returned as undeliverable. Then the caller
threatens arrest if the victim does not make a payment through a prepaid debit
card. The caller claims that the card is linked to the IRS’s EFTPS payment
system. The caller also warns the victim not to contact their tax preparer, an attorney or their local
IRS office until after the “tax” payment is made.
Payment is not linked to the
EFTPS and is totally controlled by the scammers.
EFTPS is an automated system for
paying federal taxes electronically using the internet or by phone. This is a
free service and does not required the purchase of a prepaid debit card.
The IRS reminds everyone that it
will not call and demand immediate payment of taxes, threaten to use local
police to arrest you, or ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
For more about protecting
yourself see the alert at,
Internal Revenue Service:
Tobacco Settlement Scam. The Washington State Attorney General’s
Office is warning consumers about online advertisements claiming that consumers
can receive “guaranteed” tax-free payments of $2,300 every month – forever.
According to the scammers, this is a provision of the Tobacco Master Settlement
Agreement. The Attorney General’s Office says that this is a scam. Individuals
cannot receive payments from the agreement.
The Tobacco Master Settlement
Agreement is an agreement between the four largest U.S. tobacco companies, 46
states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. It settles lawsuits
that related to health care costs incurred by the states. While not providing
for payments to individuals, some states, including Washington, issued bonds
backed by the settlement agreement payments as an investment opportunity.
While claiming the availability
of tax-free payments, the advertisements points the reader to an order form to
receive information in how to apply for the payments. Consumers must purchase a
subscription that has a fee of between $79 to $129. The order form asks
consumers for personal information and credit card numbers. The Attorney
General’s office warns consumers that once they provide a credit card number, it
may be difficult to cancel and obtain a refund.
If you have received these
advertisements you may file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office at http://www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint.
Washington State Attorney
General’s Office:
Door-To-Door Home Repair Scams. The AARP warns everyone that summer
is a good time of year for door-to-door scammers to operate. Often, scammers
will knock on your door and tell you that they have just finished some work for
your neighbor and that they would be willing to do work for you at a deep
discount. He will demand an up-front payment to start work then disappear or do
a shoddy job and demand additional payment to finish. One example is someone
claiming that they just laid down asphalt for a neighbor and that they have
some extra that they could install right away and for cheap.
AARP recommends that you be wary
of anyone who,
·
Comes to your door and offers to fix a problem.
·
Anyone who tries to pressure you to make a quick
decision.
·
Anyone who asks for payment up front.
In dealing with potential
contractors,
·
Get a written estimate and compare bids before
starting any work.
·
Ask for three references and check them.
·
Check with the Better Business Bureau (https://www.bbb.org/en/us) for any
complaints before you hire a contractor.
For more about protecting
yourself from fraud and scams go to,
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